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National Grid has launched the next phase of its Electricity Transmission Partnership (ETP), awarding an initial £1.2 billion programme of overhead line upgrades to five supply chain partners.

Balfour Beatty, M Group, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, Murphy and the Omexom Taylor Woodrow joint venture will deliver reconductoring projects across more than 1,000km of transmission routes in England and Wales.

Reconductoring involves replacing existing lines with higher specification materials that can carry more electricity, increasing network capacity without the need for entirely new infrastructure.

The programme forms part of National Grid’s wider strategy to strengthen the transmission network, improve resilience and enable new connections as electricity demand continues to rise.

The company plans to invest £31 billion in its transmission network by 2031 and upgrade around 3,500km of existing lines, equivalent to half of its entire network.

National Grid has also established supply chain contracts worth more than £28 billion across its UK electricity networks through initiatives including the ETP, Great Grid Partnership and high voltage direct current framework.

Alice Delahunty, President of Electricity Transmission at National Grid, said: “Upgrading our existing network is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to increase capacity and strengthen resilience, alongside the vital role of building new infrastructure to meet growing demand.”

National Grid expects to recruit around 6,000 full-time employees in the UK by 2031, including 2,000 graduates and apprentices, with the investment also supporting jobs and skills development across the wider supply chain.